Hb has gone up

[epiphiny]

Got my CBC results back from yesterday and my Hb has jumped from 10.1 to 10.7 in 7 days?!  

I can only imagine this is because I have been so sick and unable to keep anything in or down and have had to force myself to take my riba with almost no food, that's it's absorption has been impaired.  I have also been unable to eat any fat of any kind so all my standby favourites for Riba such as VCO, PB, Tahini, Avocado have all been out of the question.

Thought I'd mention this in the forum because I feel it is quite good evidence that Riba absorption is improved with food and fat.

And here I was worrying about my Hb dropping because I wasn't keeping my food in, but it has had the adverse effect!  Now I have to bite the bullet and slowly start getting some fat back in my diet.

[epiphiny]

Thanks for the info on hydration affecting Hb levels.  The body sure is complex and nothing is straightforward although when I think about it I think I get it:

When dehydrated the blood is thicker (so to speak) so the concentration of red cells in the blood tested is higher.

Conversly, when well hydrated blood is thinner therefore less red cells.  

Have I got that right?

Btw, I have 14 weeks to go.  Can't wait to be where you are!

Epi :)

[Rockerforlife]

BP is now 124/89

it was 130/100....just yesterday....a santa claus belly is not good for blood pressue

[Rockerforlife]

I am now eating my Boceprevir with a scoop of raw cacao and goji berries...caco has about 40% fat ...also caco lowers blood pressue....BTW...my BP in back to normal this afternoon....i slowed down on the xmas foods and dropped 5 pounds in 2 days already...i took a break on the eggs too...i still take the RIBA with the VCO

[Rockerforlife]

You only need to watch iron intake if your iron blood test reading are in the high range...cereral and other foods cerifiied with iron are totally ok if your iron levels are normal...this is what my nurse tells me anyway...some people have iron levels tru the roof...BTW....we do need iron in our diet...

[Trinity4]

I eat Cheerios, Total Raison Bran, Rice Krispies, etc.  We don't have to totally avoid those foods, just eat them within reason like everything else.  I've never been anemic, perhaps because I do supplement by diet with iron enriched foods, perhaps not.  HGB has always stayed in the 11's and I weight 114 lbs. and take 1000 mg of riba.  We are supposed to avoid iron supplements but I don't worry about the iron enriched foods.  I like red meat, eat it twice a week.  I love fresh spinich and fresh beets.  I even like liver.  
I don't avoid any food high in iron.  As a matter of fact, I have a condition which overloads iron in your system and throughout tx my iron has remained normal.  
Eat what stays down and keeps your nutritional level maintained.  
Trin

[Facta_non_verba]

Actually, your hemoglobin hasn't changed much. A combination of differences in your hydration from one week to the other and the usual amount of error in lab testing could explain it. My guess is that you were dehydrated when the second lab was drawn since you weren't able to keep much down.

On the other hand, just being that anemic is pretty good evidence that you have a substantial concentration of ribavirin in your blood.

BTW, how much longer do you have to go? I just finished a few weeks ago, and life is so much better. I hope the rest of your treatment goes well and that the worst of the side effects pass you by.

Jeff
Facta non Verba

[CMcH]

Good call on being able to connect the decreased fat intake with your Hb levels. I have had some gastro problems and I too have problems with eating fat or anything much in the AM with my meds. I can manage Cherios w/milk but I read now that cereal has to much iron. My docs don't seem to worry much about that though.
I'm sorry to hear about your difficulty eating. What are the Docs telling you its from?
I hope you feel better soon.
Connie.